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On October 25, 2011, RIM announced an open beta of BlackBerry® Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365 – a new RIM-hosted cloud-based service for businesses to extend Microsoft Office 365 to BlackBerry® smartphones and self-manage their BlackBerry deployments in the cloud.
Overview of BlackBerry Business Cloud Services
RIM BlackBerry® Business Cloud Services delivers a simple and affordable way for companies to manage BlackBerry smartphones with Microsoft Office 365. Available at no additional charge to Microsoft Office 365 Enterprise Plan subscribers, this secure service, hosted by Research In Motion® (RIM), directly links Microsoft® Exchange® Online with BlackBerry smartphones to offer reliable, mobile access to synchronized email, calendar, contacts, tasks and memo pads. From almost anywhere, the intuitive, web-based interface provides the tools administrators need to perform common tasks, password reset or to find, lock or wipe lost or misplaced devices. And an integrated single sign-on between Office 365 and BlackBerry Business Cloud Services gives end users online self-service options that help make managing devices more efficient than ever.
Further information can be found in the BlackBerry Business Cloud Services – Feature and Technical Overview.
Open Beta Program Details
Learn more about the open beta program requirements and logistical details by visiting the RIM BlackBerry Beta Zone at https://www.blackberry.com/beta/businesscloud
NOTE: The RIM BlackBerry Business Cloud Services open beta is available to new and existing Office 365 subscribers only, in select Office 365 markets. Participants will need either a trial or Enterprise Plan subscription account of Microsoft Exchange Online to enroll in the beta program.
Technical support for BlackBerry Business Cloud Services shall be provided by RIM. Participants are highly encouraged to enroll in BlackBerry Beta Zone program to receive access to additional resources and technical support information. Additional support process details will be provided upon successful open beta program enrollment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my region is not available for the open beta?
RIM continues to review additional markets for BlackBerry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365. Visit https://www.blackberry.com/beta/businesscloud to enroll your organization in BlackBerry Beta Zone. RIM will notify you once the open beta service is available in your region.
What if I’m a BPOS customer? Can I participate in the open beta?
No, only new or existing Office 365 tenants can participate in the open beta. Beta participants cannot be a current BPOS tenant. Existing BPOS customers will be migrated to Office 365 at a point in time following general availability of RIM BBCS.
NOTE: Existing BPOS customers who require BlackBerry device support can still add the Microsoft Hosted BlackBerry service at no additional cost.
Do I need to be a paying Office 365 customer to participate in the open beta?
No. In order to participate in open beta, you must be a current Microsoft Office 365 for Enterprise customer, either trail or paid subscription, with users actively using Exchange Online. You will also need to meet with the technical and program requirement for both Microsoft Office 365 and RIM BlackBerry Business Cloud Services.
What languages will be available at open beta?
Languages available for the service, administrator portal, and user experiences will be English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese and Brazilian Portuguese.
NOTE: RIM support will be English-only at the start of open beta. The other languages mentioned above will be introduced over time during open beta and after the general availability of RIM BlackBerry Business Cloud Services.
Additional Resources
Will Small business O365 clients be supported for BB Cloud in the near future?